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Bike Ireland

There are many sightseeing options when visiting the central western side of the Emerald Isle. The Cliffs of Moher, The Burren, and Connemara National Park are all on a must-see list. If you can squeeze it in, a visit to one of the Aran Islands should also be high on the list. It is a full-day commitment due to the fact that it is accessible only by ferry (or small plane), but it is a special day, where you step back in time to a different era.

The Aran Islands are three rocky isles guarding the mouth of Galway Bay. We visited the largest island, Inishmore, mainly because it was the most convenient to get to, and it is also home to the prehistoric fort of Dún Aonghasa, perched on top of a high cliff. After a 30-minute car ride from Galway to the ferry terminal, and a 30-minute ferry ride, we arrived at the small village of Kilronan. Inishmore is inhabited by less than 1,000 residents, very few of whom speak English. The signs are all in Irish, but that only adds to its charm and fun. While you can hire a taxi or horse-drawn carriage to travel around the island, we rented bikes for the day, which was an enjoyable way to tour this small island.

Biking the island can be strenuous, but it allows an intimate introduction to the Aran Islands. You can stop and say hello to the animals. We were fortunate enough to come across a foal and its mother, the afterbirth not far away, indicating that this baby horse was probably less than 12 hours old.

Biking also allowed us to visit and explore the craggy shore line. The island is an extension of the Burren. The terrain of the island is composed of limestone pavements with crisscrossing cracks known as “grikes,” leaving isolated rocks called “clints.” A tough and challenging walk for sure, but fun for discovering small ocean life.

Biking also allowed us to view close up the famous stone walls that permeate the entire island, and give rise to the patterns found on the Aran Island sweaters. Of course, it is also fun to see the many thatched roof cottages that dot the island as well.

The highlight of our day was a visit to Fort Dún Aonghasa. No bikes are allowed at the fort; the uphill pedal probably would have been impossible anyway. A 14-acre site, the remains of the fort consist of three terraced walls perched on the edge of a 300 foot-high cliff. The views from it are breathtakingly spectacular. Excavations indicate that people had been living at the hill top from about 1500 BC.

One fact I found amusing was that there was a fence that prevented a person from wondering off the fort property onto neighboring farm land, but no barrier that prevented someone from falling 3oo feet straight down into the ocean! Not far from the fort, people actually do dive off the cliffs into the Worm Hole, a naturally formed, rectangular-shaped pool which hosts several cliff diving competitions. Not for the faint of heart, but it would be fun to watch.

As there is only one return ferry to the mainland at the end of the day, a leisurely bike ride can get a little more harried as the day progresses. Heading back to the harbor, we quickly stopped at the medieval ruins of the Seven Churches, took more pictures of the stone walls and cottages, and of course had to see the some of the residents making the most famous export of the island, the famous Aran knit sweaters. In fact, one of our sweater suppliers, Carraig Donn, got its start right here on Inishmore, but I will tell that story in my next blog. Of course, if you can’t visit the island personally, you can always check out our selection of Aran sweaters (men’s and women’s) as they are made in and come directly from Ireland.

After arriving back in our hotel after an exhausting yet exhilarating day on Inishmore, we knew we had made the right choice. A day on the Aran Islands is truly a special day.